UN calls for Israel to lift blockade

In a speech to Geneva today, Navi Pillay, UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, has accused Israel of breaching international human rights law.

This follows UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-Moon’s statements on Saturday. His office said:

“Food and other life saving assistance is being denied to hundreds of thousands of people, and (emphasized) that measures which increase the hardship and suffering of the civilian population of the Gaza Strip as a whole are unacceptable and should cease immediately.

"The Secretary-General is deeply concerned at the deterioration of the humanitarian and security situation in Gaza and southern Israel, and at the potential for further suffering and violence. He calls on all parties to uphold international humanitarian and human rights law."

Israel’s Yediot Ahronot newspaper also reports that the IDF (Israel Defence Forces) will continue to provide 30 trucks of aid a day during this blockade.